Integration of the Humanities, Science, and Engineering Aspects of an Undergraduate Engineering Research Experience

In 2015 the United Nations reported that clean drinking water is unavailable to 1.8 billion people worldwide and adopted access to clean water and sanitation as one of seventeen Sustainable Development Goals. Water contamination can include multiple issues, including suspended solids, turbidity, dissolved organics, and heavy metals, as well as bacteria or other pathogens. The authors have addressed several aspects of this broad problem in their research and provided the flexibility to pursue student-initiated investigations. Projects have addressed the effectiveness of conventional chemical coagulants, such as alum, for the removal of emerging solid contaminants, including nanoparticles and microplastics. These contaminants can be generated from consumer product waste and create new obstacles for water treatment in both conventional applications and in underdeveloped areas of the world. Although traditional chemical treatment for coagulation is well-established, disadvantages such as chemical cost and availability, the production of toxic sludge, and the acidification of treated water make the application in underdeveloped areas challenging. Accordingly, another project theme has been to evaluate the performance of coagulants derived from natural products. One promising candidate is moringa oleifera (MO) seed which is obtained from a plant which is available in many areas with limited clean drinking water sources. MO provides a water-soluble protein that coagulates typical metal oxide and suspended material found in surface water. Student interest has also driven new projects involving the adsorption of heavy metals by MO seed solids and the bactericidal activity of MO. These water treatment research projects have linked the goals of humanitarian engineering with experimental research, engaged students through the pursuit of their passions, considered the wider context of technical solutions, and enabled partnerships with other service-learning initiatives. This research also provides an opportunity for the integration of interdisciplinary educational experiences that combine liberal arts, science, and engineering aspects of an undergraduate engineering education.